Host-pathogen interactions and immune regulation during viral latency and persistence

Chronically persisting viral infections caused by herpesviruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are widespread across the globe, with nearly every human being latently infected with one or more herpesvirus species, 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and another 40 million living with HIV. Despite belonging to divergent virus families characterized by different virion structures and virus life cycles, all of these viruses persist due to integrated and/or episomal DNA fragments that enable the generation of infectious virus particles. Whereas most herpesvirus infections are effectively controlled by the fully developed and healthy host's immune system, which keeps the virus at bay with barely any clinical symptoms for the duration of the lifespan, CHB and HIV infections require continual, lifelong medication to enable viral control and thereby prevent life-threatening pathology, placing an enormous strain on healthcare systems and putting patients in geographical areas with limited access to treatment at risk.Having achieved pharmacological control of CHB, HIV, and herpesviruses in immunosuppressed individuals, the field has shifted toward full and/or functional cures aimed, respectively, at complete elimination of viral DNA reservoirs or sustained viral suppression, such that virions remain undetectable following treatment cessation. This has created an unprecedented need, addressed by this Research Topic, to better understand the interplay between persistent or latent viral forms and the host immune system, uncover vulnerabilities in viral immune-evasion mechanisms that safeguard viral persistence, and develop approaches to identify and target cellular sites of viral persistence. Our goal is to advance the fundamental knowledge required to develop curative treatments for persistent viral infections, ultimately improving the quality of life of affected patients and reducing the socioeconomic burden of chronic viral infections.We welcome original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles addressing:• host-pathogen interactions and immune regulation underlying the persistence of cells carrying episomal HBV DNA genome, the so-called covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA)• host-pathogen interactions and immune regulation underpinning the establishment and maintenance of latent HIV provirus reservoirs• host-pathogen interactions and immune regulation advancing the understanding of herpesvirus latency and reactivation• vulnerabilities in viral immune-evasion mechanisms that safeguard viral persistence• development of approaches to identify and target cellular sites of viral persistence Topic editors: Katarzyna Sitnik, Anna D. Kosinska, Doris Wilflingseder, Wilfried Posch Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86226/host-pathogen-interactions-and-immune-regulation-during-viral-latency-and-persistence